Wibe-tightekting device



0. HENSELMAN.

WLRE TIGHTENING DEVICE.

APPLICATION HLED FEB. 28, MIKE.

Yatented June 3, 1919.

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*nrrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OTTO HENSELMAN, 0F CANTON, OHIO.

WIRE-TIGHTENING DEVICE.

Application filed February 28, 1918.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Or'ro'HENsELMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Canton, in the county of Stark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wire-Tightening Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a fence slat, or

more particularly to a simple and effective l which may be readily applied to or removed from the fence wires with a minimum amount of labor.

Other general objects of the invention are to make the fence slat or wire tightening device simple in construction, serviceable, convenient in practical use, and its construction easily modified so that it may be used or con nected with various wire fence constructions.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel features of construction to be hereinafter more fully described, claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a fragmentary section of a wire fence showing one of my improved fence slats applied to the wires thereof;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view of the same; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmental detail view of the fence slat.

I have illustrated in the accompanying drawing one practical embodiment of my invention, wherein the fence slat designated generally by the numeral 9 consists of a sheet metal plate bent medially on a longitudinal line throughout its length as at 10, to provide the flanges 11, and 12 which extend substantially at right angles with respect to each other. While this slat is prefera'bly formed from sheet steel of the requisite tensile strength and thickness it can likewise be formed from angle iron.

In the free longitudinal edge of the flan e 11 of the slat, at suitably spaced inter:

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 3, 1919.

Serial No. 219,625.

downwardly projecting hooks 13 are struck therefrom, said hooks being offset out of the plane of said flange. These hooks may be produced by means of a punch or other suitable tool, and in the formation of said hooks, the notches or recesses 14 are a consequem tial result.

The free longitudinal edge of the other flange 12 of the slat is likewise notched or recessed at spaced intervals and at points corresponding to the notches as shown at 15. These notches which are slightly elongated extend obliquely inwardly from the edge of the slat. The edge of the slat at the lower side of each notch 15 is slightly bent or offset in an inward direction to provide a wire retaining hook 16.

In the applicationof'the slat to the fence wires the wires are first engaged under the respective tongues or hooks 13 on the flange 11 and within the recess-es 14. hen so disposed, the other flange 12 will project in a forward direction from the fence or toward the operation. With a wrench or other suitable tool, if the hands of the operator will not suffice, the slatis then turned so as to engage the free longitudinal edge of the other flange 12 with the fence wires. In this turning of the slat, the several fence Wires engaged in the recesses 14.- are bent by the bearing contact of the tongues 13 therewith and kinks are thus formed in the wires. Consequently, the several strand wires of the fence will be pulled longitudinally and tightly stretched. The respective wires. are then sprung or forced into the notches or recesses 15 in the edge of the flange 12 and engaged behind the hooks 16. The inherent resiliency of the fence wires and their tendency to return to a normal straightened condition, caused the wires to bind tightly upon the tongues 13 and the hooks 16 whereby the slat is retained in its applied position and securely held against lateral shifting movement upon the wires.

It will, of course, be understood that any number of the slats may be applied to a stretch of the wire fence of predetermined length in accordance with the looseness or the amount of slack in the wires. My improved metal wire tightening slat very effectively holds the several wires against sagging and alsoobviates the possibility of live stock forcingv the wires apart by profleeting. the head between the lower strand wires of the fence structure. After the slats have remained in their applied positions for a certain length of time, they may be removed and reapplied at other points in the fence structure. However, the kinks or bends in the fence wires will remain after the slats have been removed so that the wires will not again slacken to any appreciable extent at these points.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction, manner of use, and the several advantages of my improved wire tightening slat will be clearly and fully understood. The device may be very easily and quickly applied to the fence wires or re moved therefrom and with the minimum of manual exertion. The fence wires are not only stretched and supported against sag ging but the fence structure as a whole is materially strengthened by means of the device. As the improved fence slat may be produced in an expeditious manner from a single length of metal plate, it is manifest that the article can be manufactured in large quantities at a very small cost and may be commercially sold at a fair profit. The fence slat may, of course, be made in various lengths and widths and the number of wires engaging the hooks on the flanges thereof increased or decreased as may be required in the application of the device to a particular fence construction. It is accordingly understood, that while I have herein shown and described one embodiment of my invention which I have found gives very satisfactory results in practical use, the de vice is nevertheless susceptible of many minor mechanical variations in its several structural features and I therefore reserve the privilege of adopting all such legitimate changes as clearly fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

A wire tightening member formed from a single piece of metal including a plate-like upturned Wire engaging hooks, the first men- 7 tioned hooks being adapted to engage-the wire when the flange is disposed at a predetermined angler thereto so that the wire will lie in the first mentioned-recesses, the plate being'then twisted or turnedwhereby the wire is bent and thereby pulled or stretched, and the wire being finally adapted for engagement with the inwardly, and downwardly curved recesses behind the upturned hooks. y

In testimonywhereof, I aflix my signature hereto.

OTTO HENSELMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained. for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washingtoml. C. I 

